Sliding door hanger assembly



April 11, 1950 o. B. sMm-l, JR

SLIDING DOOR HANGER ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 5, 1949 y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 El El April ll, v1.950 o. B. SMITH, .JR 2,503,848

sLIDING nooR HANGER ASSEMBLY l Filed Jan. 5, 1949 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. 11, 1950- sLIDING Doon vHANGER ASSEMBLY Oscar B. Smith, Jr., Waco, Tex., assigner to Wm. Cameron & Co., Waco., Tex., a corporation of Texas Application January 5, 1949, Serial No. 69,387

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in a sliding .door hanger assembly and has for its primary object to provide an arrangement which will facilitate the installation of sliding doors and the removal thereof when repairs and replacements are necessary.

Another object is to provide a structure whereby the weight of a sliding door is more evenly distributed to not only improve the operation of the door by eliminating objectionable fluttering, but will also minimize the wear on the parts.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a sliding door hanger adapted to be suspended on a pair of spaced parallel .overhead tracks by pairs of oppositely disposed rollers, mounted for automatic swivelling adjustment, to compensate for any irregularities in the tracks.

A further `object is to provide a novel and improved track unit housed in the head jamb of a sliding door frame and cooperating with the door hanger in such a manner as to enable replacement of the door with a minimum of effort.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the 'drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughu out the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly broken away, illustrating my improved door hanger assembly installed, with the door in closed position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the door in partly open position;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View on an enlarged scale, taken through the head of the sliding door jamb on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5--5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of the door jamb on a reduced scale, illustrating the method of inserting the door in place.

In the drawings, referring first to Figure 3, the numeral 4 represents generally a box-like track housing comprising two side walls 5 and 6 and a top wall 1, which are secured in any suitable manner within the head jamb 8 of a sliding door frame, the bottom side of the housing being open as shown. The inner faces of each of the side walls 5 and 6 are provided with longitudinally extending recesses 9 adapted to receive with a tight fit, a pair of opposed horizontal track members It, which are preferably secured in place by screws II.

Although the track members I0 may be constructed of any suitable material, they are-preferably made of hard wood and are provided along their upper surfaces with longitudinal track grooves l2 to receive the hanger rollers i 3, as will be hereinafter described. The Vinner faces of the track members ID are spaced a predetermined distance apart and preferably are outwardly toward their lower edges, as will beseen from Figure 3, thus providing a longitudinally extending slot having a flaring mouth along its lower edge.

The hanger unit proper comprises a roller mounting cross-head I 4 consisting of a strip of suitable metal bent diagonally at its central portion I5, as shown in Figure 5, with its end portions I6 and Il parallel. These end portions are drilled transversely to receive the stud I3 o respective rollers I3, which are mounted fore-and-aft, on opposite sides of the cross-head I 4.

A door supporting post I9, consisting of two longitudinally adjustable sections 2B and 2 I, connects the cross-head I4 to the top of the sliding door 22 and extends vertically through the slot formed between the opposed track members Ill. The lower section 2i of the post I9 is provided at its lower end with an enlarged annular head 23 adapted to rotatably engage a complementary recessed boss 24 centrally disposed in a mounting plate 25 which is secured to the top of the door 22 by screws .26. The main body of Vsection 2l is externally threaded to engage complementary internal threads in the sleeve-like upper section 2D of post I9 and in order to facilitate relative adjustment of the two members 20 and 2l, the latter is preferably squared as at 2l to receive a wrench .or other suitable tool.l

The upper section 2i) is provided at its top end with a vertical, transverse slot 28 which receives the diagonal central portion I5 of the cross-head I4, the latter being pivotally secured in place by a transverse pin 29 whereby a slight vertical rocking movement of the cross-head-IA is permitted. The lower extremity of the upper section 20 is enlarged and shaped to form a squared or hexagonal tooleengaging portion 30 for use in conjunction with the squared portion 2l, in adjusting the two sections 2E) and 2i and in turning the post I9 when installing or removing the door, as will be described. In addition, the enlarged portion 30 may beprovided with radial openings 3l to receive a suitable instrument for turning the post.

Any conventional means may be employed for enclosing the lower portion of the head jamb on either side of the door 22, such for example as iinishing strips 32 secured beneath the side walls 5 and B of housing 4 and the head jamb 8.

It will be observed from Figure 5, that the distance A between two imaginary straight lines dening the transverse boundaries of the rollers I3 and cross-head I4 is less than the distance B which deiines the slot between the opposed inner faces of the track members I'. Thus, Vif the cross-head I4 and the vertical post I9 .are rotated slightly about the axis of the post to bring the diagonal strip I5 substantially in line with the horizontal center of the mounting plate 25, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, the crosshead I4 and the rollers V I3 may be inserted into the housing 4 through the slot provided between the Opposed faces of the track members I0.

As will beseen from Figures 1 and 3, the inner face of the top wall or head board 'l is provided adjacent each end of the door with a recess 33 to permit the respective hanger units to be inserted into the housing and elevated above the track members I0. Afterrthe roller support and rollers have been inserted and while they are still in recesses 33, above the tracks I3, a slight rotation of the post I9 in the proper direction will bring the rollers into line for engagement with respective tracks, as shown in full lines in Figure 3. After the respective hanger units are in engagement with their tracks, they are prevented from jumping out of their .tracks'by .the head board 1. It will be noted from Figures 1, 3 and `4, that the clearance between the lower face of the head board 'l and the rollers I3 is such as to prevent the displacement of the rollers from their tracks.

It will be apparent that the diagonally arranged rollers I3, one on either side of the door, will `minimize the fluttering eiect which is Aso common in sliding door hangers, due to the fact that the weight of the door is more evenly distributed. Furthermore, the vswivel mounting of the vertical post at 23 and the pivotal mounting of the cross-head at 29, permits the entire struc-y ture to adjust itself to compensate for any irregularities in the tracks Iii, thus greatly increasing the ease of operation and decreasing noise. It should also vbe noted that by constructing the track members I9 of -hard wood rather than metal, I yfurther decrease the noise usually attendant in doors of this character.

In installing a door equipped with my improved hanger assembly, it willbe' understood that two of thehangerunits are applied to the top of the sliding door, in spaced relation as shown in Figures 1- and 2. After `the housing 4 is'secured in place within the headjamb and before the nishing strips 32 are applied, the door and the assembled hanger units are inserted in the following manner. Each of the hanger units is turned on the vertical axis of its post I9 to bring the diagonal strip I5 in line with the longitudinal centerV of the mounting plate 25, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, thus causing the rollers I3 to lie transversely within the limits of the slot B formed between theopposed track members I0. The hanger units may then be easily inserted through the slot B if the door 22 is slightly inclined, as seen in Figure 6, the flaring mouth provided by the diverging lower surfaces oi the track members I0 facilitating the accommodation of the hanger units. After the rollers I3 have been inserted within the housing 4, and while they are still in the recess 33, above the track grooves I2, the hanger units may be rotated with the use of a suitable vwrench or tool applied to the enlarged portion 30, to bring the cross-head I4 into the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 with the rollers I3 inline for engagement with their respective tracks II, when the door is lowered into position. By means of the Squared portion 21 on the lower section 2| of each post I9, the

two post sections are relatively adjusted to regulate the height of the door and a suitable lock nut (not shown) may be employed for maintaining the proper adjustment. To facilitate the use of a tool in rotating the hanger units for engagement with their respective tracks and for adjusting the height of the hanger assembly, I preferably provide a notch 34 in the lower edge of the inner face of each of the side walls 5 and 6, directly beneath the head board recesses 33. Thus, while the door is in closed position as shown in Figure 1, a mechanic can gain access to both of the hanger units through these notches 34.

The nishing strips 32 are then installed to substantially close the spaces on either side of the door 22 at the lower portion of the head jamb 8. In removing the door for repairs or for replacementV of worn tracks, the reverse of the above procedure is followed.

It will be apparent from the above that the door may very easily be replaced or dismantled for repairs with a minimum of eort. Furthermore, due to the particular mounting of the rollers and cross-head, irregularities in the track are compensated for and the noise of the sliding door is greatly reduced. The diagonal arrangement of the cross-head and its pivotal connection l to the vertical post I9 provides for automatic adjustment for any slight difference in height between the opposed tracks, and the swivel mounting of the post at 23 automatically compensates for any slight longitudinal irregularity in the arrangement of the tracks.

From the foregoing it is believed that my invention may be' readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne nmind that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.l

I claim: I

1. In a sliding door hanger assembly, a pair of overhead, ltransversely spaced, parallel tracks, a door hanger unit comprising a cross-head adapted to bridge the space between said tracks and formed with parallel roller-supporting arms at its longitudinal extremities, said arms being connected by a central body portion, diagonal with relation to said arms, whereby said arms lie in transversely spaced parallel planes, parallel rollers mounted on respective arms for rotation about transverse axes, a central post Ipivotally connectecl to-said central body portion and depending therefrom between said opposed tracks, and means at the lower end of said post for swivelly connecting the same to the top of a sliding door, the combined cross-head and rollers lying wholly within an imaginary parallelogram, the distance between two parallel sides of which is less than 'the distance between said opposed tracks, whereby when said hanger unit is partially rotated about v,the axis of said post, said unit may be 1nserted through the space between said opposed tracks.

2. A sliding door hanger assembly, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opposed faces of said tracks diverge downwardly and outwardly.

3. In a sliding door hanger assembly, a pair of overhead, transversely spaced, parallel tracks, the opposed faces of which diverge foutwardly and downwardly to form a flaring slot running longitudinally between the tracks, a door hanger unit comprising a cross-head adapted to bridge the space between said tracks and formed with parallel roller-supporting arms at its longitudinal extremities, said arms being connected by a central body portion diagonal with relation to said arms, whereby said arms lie in transversely spaced parallel planes, parallel rollers mounted on respective arms for rotation about transverse axes, a central post pivotally connected to said central body portion and depending therefrom between said opposed tracks, means at the lower end of said post for swivelly connecting the same to the top of a sliding door, and means for adjusting the length of said post to regulate the vertical position of said door, the combined cross-head and rollers lying wholly within an imaginary parallelogram, the distance between two parallel sides of which is less than the distance between said opposed tracks, whereby when said hanger unit is partially rotated about the axis of said post, said unit may be inserted through the space between said opposed tracks.

4. In a sliding door hanger assembly, a pair of overhead, transversely spaced, parallel tracks, a door hanger unit adapted to bridge the space between said tracks, including a pair of parallel rollers mounted, one fore and one aft, on opposite sides of said unit and adapted to engage respective tracks, a central post depending from said unit and means for swivelly connecting the same to the top of a sliding door, said unit lying wholly within an imaginary parallelogram,'the distance between two parallel sides of which is less than the distance between said tracks to permit the insertion of said unit between said tracks when the unit is partially rotated at its swivel connection.

5. In a sliding door hanger assembly, a pair of overhead, transversely spaced, parallel tracks, a door hanger unit adapted to bridge the space between said tracks, including a pair of parallel rollers mounted, one fore and one aft, on opposite sides of said unit and adapted to engage respective tracks, a central prost depending from said unit and means for swivelly connecting the same to the top of a sliding door, said tracks being spaced to normally support respective rollers when the longitudinal axis of said unit is disposed diagonally with relation to said tracks, and to receive said unit therebetween when the longitudinal axis of said unit is substantially in parallel alignment with an imaginary line drawn through the longitudinal center of the space between said tracks.

6. In a sliding door hanger assembly, a horizontal housing, including parallel, spaced longitudinal side walls, a pair of loverhead, transversely spaced, parallel tracks, mounted on opposed faces of said side walls intermediate their vertical extremities, a door hanger unit adapted to bridge the space between said tracks, including a pair of parallel rollers mounted, one fore and one aft, on opposite sides of said unit and adapted to engage respective tracks, a central post depending from said unit and means for swivelly connecting the same to the top of a sliding door, said tracks being spaced to normally support respective rollers when the longitudinal axis of said unit is disposed diagonally with relation to said tracks, and to receive said unit therebetween when the longitudinal axis of said unit is substantially in parallel alignment with an imaginary line drawn through the longitudinal center of the space between said tracks, the lower edge of at least one of said side walls being notched at predetermined points to aiiord access to the interior of said housing when a door is suspended from the hanger unit.

OSCAR B. SMITH, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 308,125 Barry Nov. 18, 1884 450,352 Bullard Apr. 14, 1891 562,931 Sieurin June 30, 1896 575,771 Sumner Jan. 26, 1897 1,224,765 Martin May 1, 1917 1,930,379 Bennett Oct. 10, 1933 2,293,841 Long Aug. 25, 1942 2,322,529 Long June 22, 1943 2,350,689 Long June 6, 1944 2,361,882 Smith Oct. 31, 1944 2,386,510 Shafer Oct. 9, 1945 2,446,887 Shearer Aug. 10, 1948 

